Work

Correction: Dihydroartemisinin Enhances Apo2L/TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis in Pancreatic Cancer Cells via ROS-Mediated Up-Regulation of Death Receptor 5

Year: 2012

Type: erratum

Abstract: Background: Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has recently shown antitumor activity in various cancer cells.Apo2 ligand or tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) is regarded as a promising anticancer agent, but chemoresistance affects its efficacy as a treatment strategy.Apoptosis induced by the combination of DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL has not been well documented, and the mechanisms involved remain unclear.Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we report that DHA enhances the efficacy of Apo2L/TRAIL for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.We found that combined therapy using DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL significantly enhanced apoptosis in BxPC-3 and PANC-1 cells compared with single-agent treatment in vitro.The effect of DHA was mediated through the generation of reactive oxygen species, the induction of death receptor 5 (DR5) and the modulation of apoptosis-related proteins.However, N-acetyl cysteine significantly reduced the enhanced apoptosis observed with the combination of DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL.In addition, knockdown of DR5 by small interfering RNA also significantly reduced the amount of apoptosis induced by DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL.Conclusions/Significance: These results suggest that DHA enhances Apo2L/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells through reactive oxygen species-mediated up-regulation of DR5.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/annotation/f7203563-87dc-4d11-a1b7-958f81cf743a